5 Essential Steps to Prepare for Your Discovery Call: Elevate Your Photography Project
The first step in bringing your exciting concept to life is setting up a discovery call with me! This initial conversation is essential for us to get to know each other and for me to understand your project vision, timeline, and goals. Ultimately, this will help me provide an accurate quote, determine if we’re a good fit, and align on the next steps. It’s also an excellent opportunity to ask any questions about my process, work, or background. I’m here to help you gain clarity around how we can collaborate to achieve your marketing goals!
To ensure our discovery call is as productive as possible, here are five quick ways to prepare:
1. Get Clear on Your Team’s Photography Needs
Before our call, take some time to audit your platforms (website, social media channels, print collateral, etc.) and look ahead at your marketing plan for the next six months to a year. Identify where your company could benefit from additional professional photography—or videography, as we also offer food motion services! Preparing for a shoot involves a lot of planning, so now is a great time to think about adding extra shots to your list that can elevate your future marketing efforts and help you stay ahead of seasonal campaigns.
Questions to ask yourself include:
Is your company launching a new product in the next six months, and do you have the new packaging mockups available?
Does your website need a refresh? If so, what pages specifically need a boost?
Would behind-the-scenes videos help expand your reach on social media (we offer this service too!)?
Would adding recipes to your site be beneficial?
Are you launching on a new e-commerce or meal delivery platform (e.g., Grubhub) and need fresh product shots?
Would it be helpful to shoot seasonal or holiday images for an upcoming campaign?
Is this a cookbook shoot that requires launch materials in addition to the book content itself?
This is the perfect time to ensure your visual assets are aligned and cohesive while identifying any gaps that need to be addressed on your shot list.
2. Understand Where These Images Will Be Used
Knowing where your images will be used is crucial for image licensing purposes. There are three key aspects to consider when it comes to licensing:
Where the image will be used: Consider the medium such as print, digital, billboard, or advertising.
Geographical usage: Typically, this is within your state or within North America, but it can be expanded.
Duration of usage: A 1-2 year period is fairly standard as images and styles can become outdated. Remember, your license expiring doesn’t mean you have to remove all those photos you've used; rather it’s best to renew your license with Studio Moyna to continue using those images in new content after the initial licensing period ends.
Learn more about image usage and licensing here (link to blog post about usage and licensing if and when we have one).
3. Establish a Budget Range for the Project
Ah, the dreaded “b” word—budget! Don’t worry; knowing your budget range helps me determine a few things. First, if your project scope can be completed for less than your budget, we can either add additional deliverables to your shot list or you can choose to spend less! Second, if the budgeted amount isn't enough for the projected scope, we can adjust the deliverables to match the budget. If you’re not comfortable sharing this on the questionnaire (item #4), that’s okay—you can skip it. But please keep in mind that having this information helps us get on the same page faster!
4. Fill Out the Questionnaire
After setting up a call, I’ll send you a quick project questionnaire. Please fill this out at least 24 hours before our call, so we can make the most of our time together. Many of the questions will relate to the preparation steps mentioned above, so it should be quick to complete!
5. Make a List of Questions to Ask
My goal is to support your brand on its path to creating incredible, showstopping content! Bring any questions you or your team may have to our call. I’m an open book and aim to provide transparency into our process so we can create amazing content together.
And that’s it! By following these steps, you’ll be in great shape for our discovery call. Having this information clarified upfront will make the next steps seamless. I can’t wait to bring your project to life!
Still in the ideation phase? Join our email list to receive inspirational content, photography tips, and food styling tricks straight to your inbox—or reach out whenever you’re ready to get started on your next creative concept. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!
Cheers, Ashley